“Bad behavior” euthanasia is the leading cause of death in young dogs

It’s no secret that people often get rid of “bad” dogs – they give them away, often without thinking about the careful selection of new owners, they are thrown out into the street or euthanized. Unfortunately, this is a worldwide problem. Moreover, the results of a recent study (Boyd, Jarvis, McGreevy, 2018) were shocking: “bad behavior” and euthanasia as a result of this “diagnosis” is the main cause of death in dogs under the age of 3 years.

Photo: www.pxhere.com

The results of the study indicate that 33,7% of dog deaths under the age of 3 years are euthanasia due to behavioral problems. And it is the most common cause of death in young dogs. For comparison: death from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is 14,5% of all cases. The most common cause of euthanasia was called such a behavioral problem as aggression.   

But are dogs to blame for being “bad”? The reason for “bad” behavior is not the “harmfulness” and “dominance” of dogs, but most often (and this is emphasized in the article of scientists) – poor living conditions, as well as cruel methods of education and training that owners use (physical punishment, etc.). P.)

That is, people are to blame, but they pay, and with their lives – alas, dogs. This is sad.

To keep the statistics from being so horrendous, it is essential to educate and train dogs in a humane way to prevent or correct behavioral problems rather than taking the dog to the veterinary clinic or leaving it to slowly die on the street.

The results of the study can be found here: Mortality resulting from undesirable behaviours in dogs aged under three years attending primary-care veterinary practices in England. Animal Welfare, Volume 27, Number 3, 1 August 2018, pp. 251-262(12)